Method for preparing decomposition products from the thermal decomposition of 1,2-dichlorethane

Vinyl chloride ("VC" below) is prepared industrially by thermal cracking of 1,2-dichloroethane ("EDC" below) at temperatures of 450 to 600° C. at elevated pressure. In this process, about 40 to 65% of the feed EDC is cracked into VC and hydrogen chloride. In this cracking, by-products having higher and lower boiling points than the EDC are formed. Multistage separation by distillation must therefore be carried out. The work-up of the gaseous products from the thermal cracking of 1,2-dichloroethane is simplified if the cracking gases are cooled to a temperature range of about 150 to 180° C., only a subsidiary proportion, which comprises all the coke formed, being condensed and fed to a separate work-up.